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Research Opportunities by Department

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AT RICE ENGINEERING, OWLS DO RESEARCH
Research Opportunities by Department

Do research, gain experience, get credit.

Many research opportunities are available to undergraduate students at Rice University through their department in the School of Engineering. Be sure to check with your professors, advisors, and even your classmates to learn more.

Credit for Research

  • Please note that the credit is listed generically in your transcript.
  • The credit is typically variable (1-6 credits) based on the workload – discuss this with your faculty and remember to update the credit number when you register.
  • Talk to your major advisors to discuss how research credit can be used toward your degree requirements.

To learn more, visit the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry.

Rice Engineering Programs & Centers

Rice Engineering is home to programs and centers that provide undergraduate students valuable research experience put to use in real-world applications:

Center for Computational Finance and Economic Systems (CoFES)

CoFES at Rice University is dedicated to the quantitative study of financial markets and economic systems and their ultimate impact on society.

Data to Knowledge

The Data to Knowledge Lab (D2K) is a hub for data science education. D2K provides students with engagement, enrichment, and experiential learning opportunities by connecting students with current data science challenges from companies, community organizations and researchers.

Gulf Coast Consortia (GCC)

The GCC brings together the strengths of its six member institutions to build interdisciplinary collaborative research teams and training programs in the biological sciences at their intersection with the computational, chemical, mathematical, and physical sciences.

Ken Kennedy Institute

The Ken Kennedy Institute is an interdisciplinary group that works collaboratively on groundbreaking research in artificial intelligence, data, and computing to solve critical global challenges. We enable new conversations that drive convergent research, impact the development of new technology, and advance training and education.

Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering (IBB)

The IBB seeks to promote interdisciplinary research and education, foster ties with the Texas Medical Center, create partnerships with industry, promote the translation of research, and facilitate strong research and training programs.

Laboratory for Nanophotonics (LANP)

LANP is a resource for research breakthroughs and advances in the broad, multidisciplinary field of Nanophotonics, spanning the physical, chemical, biological and information sciences, of near and long-term societal benefit.

Nanosystems Engineering research center for nanotechnology enabled water treatment (NEWT)

NEWT is an interdisciplinary, multi-institution nanosystems-engineering research center whose goal is to facilitate access to clean water almost anywhere in the world by developing efficient modular water treatment systems that are easy to deploy, and that can tap unconventional sources to provide humanitarian water or emergency response.

Oshman Engineering Design Center

The Oshman Engineering Design Center (OEDK) provides a space for Rice undergraduate students to design, prototype and deploy solutions to real-world engineering challenges.

Rice Center for Engineering Leadership (RCEL)

RCEL was established to inspire, educate, and develop, ethical leaders in technology who will excel in research, industry, non-engineering career paths, or entrepreneurship.

Rice360 Institute of Global Health Technologies

Rice360 offers innovative undergraduate programs that engage students to design and implement new technologies to solve real global health challenges.

Rice Neuroengineering Initiative

The Rice Neuroengineering Initiative is a collaborative multidisciplinary program that brings together the brightest minds in neuroscience, engineering, and related fields to improve lives by restoring and extending the capabilities of the human brain.

Rice Space Institute (RSI)

The RSI is working to strengthen our ties with JSC and the broader Houston space community, to foster deeper research collaborations within this community, and facilitate multidisciplinary research to address the most pressing scientific and technological problems facing the exploration of space.

Severe Storm Prediction, Education & Evacuation from Disasters Center (SSPEED)

SSPEED Center's mission is to educate the Gulf Coast region by increasing governmental and public awareness of the risks associated with severe storms and hurricanes. We address both structural and non-structural mitigation strategies at all scales for the region.

Smalley-Curl Institute (SCI)

Research in SCI encompasses advanced materials, quantum magnetism, plasmonics and photonics, biophysics and bioengineering, ultracold atom physics, condensed matter and chemical physics, and all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

The short list above includes multidisciplinary groups and centers with School of Engineering faculty members. For the most up-to-date list of all Rice University centers and groups, please visit: https://www.rice.edu/research-centers-groups

Research Experiences for Undergraduates

Research Experiences for Undergraduates at Rice is programs open to students at colleges and universities from around the world. For most programs, research experience is not required. Rice faculty and graduate students will train participants to perform research and mentor them through the experience! 

Experiences in engineering include:

  • Summer Cardiovascular Research Internship Program
  • Data Science
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Engineering and Medicine
  • Multi-Scale Biomolecular Networks (BioNetworks)
  • Nanotechnology
  • STAT-DATASCI
  • Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment

Opportunities & Deadlines:

 

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Getting Started with Undergraduate Research

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OWLS DO RESEARCH
Getting Started with Undergraduate Research

Narrow your search, explore opportunities and find a good fit.

Whether you are interested in getting involved in research and design right away or want to understand what research is before jumping in, the new Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry (OURI) is here to support you! OURI's Getting Started Checklist will get you connected to our resources, events and opportunities across the campus and beyond our hedges. 

Ways to Connect

Here are some additional ways to research opportunities specific to engineering and preferred ways to connect with faculty & labs:

  • Explore the lab groups associated with your interests or degree
  • Explore other faculty or entities tied to the research projects the labs are involved in
  • Review faculty and group member publications in areas of interest
  • Explore the funding entities (government or industry) to learn more about the relationships between the research and issues they are trying to resolve
  • Visit the OURI website for information on how to secure a position

Research Opportunities 

When inquiring about a specific opportunity:

  • Treat any request as a job opportunity –be concise in your language and interests, professional in your correspondence and helpful to ease their ability to quickly respond.
  • Highlight your interests and experience and how it may align or how your strengths might benefit the research
  • Provide windows of time that are available for the research lead/faculty to quickly check against their calendar.
  • Offer to discuss briefly or, if easier, meet them at their office.
  • Let them know you will follow up and when to firm details  

By Department

Looking for a research opportunity within your department or want to inquire about getting credit toward your degree? Learn more about research opportunities by department.

Peer Research Ambassadors

The OURI Peer Research Ambassadors are Rice undergraduate students who have engaged in research, design and creative work and want to help other Owls get involved. Ambassadors host office hours and attend OURI workshops and events in order to share information specific to their academic schools, including the ambassadors for engineering:

Request an individual meeting with a PRA here.

Office hours (Stop by Fondren 514 and ask any quick questions)

If you are interested in meeting with an ambassador outside of office hours, complete OURI's request form.

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Awards & Funding for Undergraduate Research

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OWLS DO RESEARCH
Awards & Funding for Undergraduate Research

Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry

OURI provides funding for students to share their work, helps faculty through funding and pedagogical support for undergraduate research in the classroom, and recognizes faculty who embody the commitment to inquiry teaching and research mentoring:

School of Engineering

The George R. Brown School of Engineering at Rice offers a large availability of student awards and scholarships for which you might be eligible.

Rice Engineering Alumni

Every year, Rice Engineering Alumni (REA), the oldest alumni affinity group at Rice, awards more than $100,000 in scholarships and grants to undergraduate engineering students.

Your Department

Your academic department is another great resource. Check their awards site, and talk to your academic advisor and/or program administrators to discover available opportunities.

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